Barcelona midfielder Dani Olmo says it is “crazy” to compare teenage winger Lamine Yamal to club legend Lionel Messi

Barcelona midfielder Dani Olmo has dismissed comparisons between teenage winger Lamine Yamal and club legend Lionel Messi, describing them as “crazy.”

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Like Messi, Yamal emerged from Barcelona’s famed La Masia academy and has often been likened to the Argentine great due to his early impact at the club.

However, Olmo urged caution, insisting the youngster should be allowed to follow his own path.

“I think Lamine has his path, and he knows it. Comparing any player playing now with Messi is crazy,” Olmo said at a news conference on Tuesday ahead of Barcelona’s Champions League clash against Copenhagen.

“Lamine is a spectacle. He is very young, what he’s giving us now is incredible, and in the future it will be a lot more.”

Yamal, 18, scored a stunning acrobatic goal on Sunday as Barcelona defeated Real Oviedo 3–0 to move top of La Liga.

He made his first-team debut at just 15 years old and has already broken several records, including becoming the youngest goalscorer in La Liga history.

The winger was also part of Spain’s Euro 2024-winning squad and played a key role in Barcelona’s run to the Champions League semi-finals last season.

“Lamine is calm, he has his idea and his path. We will be there to help him; that’s our job,” Olmo added. “It’s a collective thing. If Lamine plays well and scores goals, the team will win.”

Barcelona host Copenhagen on Wednesday and need a victory, along with favourable results elsewhere, to secure a top-eight finish in the league phase and progress directly to the Champions League last 16.

Coach Hansi Flick confirmed that Barcelona will be without injured midfielder Pedri González and suspended Frenkie de Jong, although Ferran Torres could return from injury.

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“We have to respect Copenhagen. They are a fantastic team, and we must play at our top level,” Flick said.